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Jason Clark, a nurse from Brighton, is due to replace her on the plinth.

Other "plinthers" on the first day include Jill Gatcum, a 51-year-old consultant, from London, Suren Seneviratne, a 22 year-old Sri Lankan student and artist, and Ishvinder Singh Matharu, a 31-year-old optometrist, from Chigwell.

The first 615 participants, who will take part in the project during July, were chosen randomly from 14,500 applicants, and include an aquatic scientist who will dress in a "poo costume", a cyclist who will use pedal power to light up his specially created suit and an 83-year-old armed with semaphore flags.

Ms Wardell said: "I felt moved to get involved with this project for several reasons. I like the idea of the arts as inclusive rather than exclusive and feel like this is something that Antony Gormley, and this project in particular, embrace.

"I wanted to be able to represent normal, everyday stay-at-home mums who aren't normally a feature of major artworks - to show my kids now, and when they're older, that you can do, and be part of, anything, no matter how ordinary you are or feel."

A JCB later moved up to the plinth and the protester stepped on to it as Ms Wardell stepped on to the plinth. The man told reporters he was Stuart Holmes, from Withington, Manchester.

He said he was based in London and had been protesting against smoking for 26 years.

He said: "I've stood outside the High Court for 14 weeks. Everybody totally ignores this message. All you have to do is to ban tobacco and stop actors smoking in films."

Mr Holmes was on the plinth while Gormley was delivering his speech to onlookers in which he described the "living picture" that the participants would create.

When it was put to him that this sort of interaction may be what Gormley wanted, Mr Holmes said: "Two birds with one stone, maybe."

Gormley said of Mr Holmes: "It's very important that he comes down."

Addressing him directly, he said he hoped he was going to do the "gentlemanly thing" and get off the plinth so that Ms Wardell could get on.

Mr Holmes said he had decided to make the protest after hearing about the artwork on the radio.

He said: "I didn't use a rope. I was slightly anxious that I would not be fit enough but I managed to do it... I thought at first it was impossible."

He did not believe he had ruined Ms Wardell's moment.

He said: "I don't think I took anything away from her... the biggest threat to children is tobacco addiction... we employ Government to take care of us."